I have a 4x5 speed graphic (Pace Maker) and I am hopelessly trying to find a new fresnel lens for this camera. I have talked to one camera store and it was suggested to go to a book store and find one for reading!
Would this work? Or can someone suggest where to find a new fresnel lens?

You might be able to find a fresnel on ebay. They do show up occasionally.
Or maybe a kind soul on this forum will send you a pm (private email) if they have one 4-sail. Others may chime in with additional sources.
And then there are those that will chime in and tell you that you're posting the question in the wrong place, that it should be in the Speed Graphic catagory. As a newbie you can ignore them, they are our resident Pit-Bulls and are harmless:)
Good luck,
Dave

Welcome to the Graflex.org HelpBoard!
You might try Fred Lustig; 4790 Caughlin Parkway, #433; Reno, NV 89509; (775)746-0111 for Speed Graphic parts.
There are several posts about the fresnel lens on the Speed Graphic Help forum.
There were some Graflok backs that came without a fresnel lens. If yours did not have a fresnel lens when new adding one will require some machining on the back to install one without introducing a focus error due to the thickness of the fresnel. Also using a fresnel lens of a different thickness will cause a focus error.

Welcome to the Graflex.org HelpBoard!
You might try Fred Lustig; 4790 Caughlin Parkway, #433; Reno, NV 89509; (775)746-0111 for Speed Graphic parts.
There are several posts about the fresnel lens on the Speed Graphic Help forum.
There were some Graflok backs that came without a fresnel lens. If yours did not have a fresnel lens when new adding one will require some machining on the back to install one without introducing a focus error due to the thickness of the fresnel. Also using a fresnel lens of a different thickness will cause a focus error.

C. Henry

That's true if the fresnel is put where it is supposed to go, i.e., in front of the ground glass. But it can also be put behind the ground glass (film side) and then it won't disturb the GG's registration.

Ifn' its a focus panel designed with an ektalite field screen then the ground glass will be out of registeration without an ektalite field screen installed in front of the ground glass. A bookstore, Office Depot, Office Max fresnel will wotrk fine if placed behind the ground glass on a non ektalite field screen focus panel but if used on an ektalite field screen equiped focus panel then the fresnel will need to be the same thickness of the origional ektalite field screen. Test the assembly for correct focus as a fresnel may have different optical qualities from the origional ektalite field screen resulting in a slight shift in focus. If a fresnel is added in front of a ground glass on a non ektalite field screen equiped focus panel then the mounting bosses will need to be machined down 1/2 the thickness of the fresnel provided it has the same optical qualities as the factory origional ektalite field screen. The front (ground) side of a ground glass faces the lens, the back (smooth or plain) side of the ground glass faces the operator. The ribbed side of a fresnel or ektalite field screen faces the ground glass._________________The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.